LINEAR AISLE LIGHT OPTIC FOR LEDS

• US 20160238202A1
• Filed: 02/12/2015
• Published: 08/18/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CoreLED Systems, LLC
• Original Assignee: CoreLED Systems, LLC
• Inventors: Mallory, Derek, Wells, Brian C.
• Granted Patent: US 9,857,052 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F21K 9/69 Details of refractors forming part of the light source
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 5/04 of lens shape
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2103/10 comprising a linear array of point-like light-generating elements
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]

Abstract

An optical element for uniformly dispersing light from a plurality of linearly aligned LEDs includes a body made of a transparent polymeric material, in which the body has a longitudinally extending center portion having a transverse cross-sectional profile that is uniform along the length of the optical element, and legs extending away from opposite sides of the center portion and extending downwardly to define a recess. The center portion has a top surface and a bottom surface that together define a longitudinally extending lens portion that collects light from the LEDs and refracts the light to produce a desired beam pattern. Uniformly and closely spaced apart transverse grooves can be provided on the top surface of the longitudinally extending lens portion to uniformly spread light on an illuminated surface and eliminate the appearance of dark and light areas on the lens portion when it is illuminated by the LEDs.

Claims

1. An optical element for uniformly dispersing light from a plurality of linearly aligned LEDs, comprising:

a shaped body made of an optically transmissive polymeric material, the body having length, width and depth, wherein the length is greater than each of the width and the depth, and wherein the body has a substantially uniform transverse cross-sectional profile, the body including a longitudinally extending center portion and legs extending in the width direction away from opposite sides of the central portion and extending downwardly in the depth direction to facilitate mounting of the body on a substrate with a light emitting surface of an LED positioned in a recess defined between the substrate and the body, the center portion having a top surface and a bottom surface that together define a longitudinally extending lens portion capable of collecting light from an LED and refracting the light to produce a beam pattern.

2. The optical element of claim 1, in which the top surface of the lens portion is convex.

3. The optical element of claim 1, in which the bottom surface of the lens portion is convex.

4. The optical element of claim 1, in which both the top surface and the bottom surface of the lens portion are convex.

5. The optical element of claim 4, in which a substantially planar wall extends downwardly from each of opposite side edges of the bottom convex surface.

6. The optical element of claim 5, in which the substantially planar walls are perpendicular to the width direction of the body.

7. The optical element of claim 1, in which the top surface of the lens portion has a plurality of transverse grooves and ridges.

8. The optical element of claim 7, in which the transverse grooves are uniformly spaced apart.

9. The optical element of claim 8, in which the uniform spacing between the grooves is from about 1 mm to about 3 mm.

10. A luminaire comprising:

a substrate;

a plurality of linearly aligned LEDs mounted on the substrate; and

an optical element for uniformly dispersing light from the plurality of linearly aligned LEDs mounted on the substrate with a light emitting surface of the LED disposed between the substrate and the optical element, the optical element having a shaped body made of an optically transmissive polymeric material, the body having length, width and depth, wherein the length is greater than each of the width and the depth, and wherein the body has a substantially uniform transverse cross-sectional profile, the body including a longitudinally extending center portion and legs extending in the width direction away from opposite sides of the central portion and extending downwardly in the depth direction to facilitate mounting of the body on a substrate with a light emitting surface of an LED positioned in a recess defined between the substrate and the body, the center portion having a top surface and a bottom surface that together define a longitudinally extending lens portion capable of collecting light from an LED and refracting the light to produce a beam pattern.

11. The luminaire of claim 10 in which the linearly aligned LEDs are spaced apart uniformly.

12. The luminaire of claim 10, in which the top surface of the lens portion is convex.

13. The luminaire of claim 10, in which the bottom surface of the lens portion is convex.

14. The luminaire of claim 10, in which both the top surface and the bottom surface of the lens portion are convex.

15. The luminaire of claim 14, in which a substantially planar wall extends downwardly from each of opposite side edges of the bottom convex surface.

16. The luminaire of claim 15, in which the substantially planar walls are perpendicular to the width direction of the body.

17. The luminaire of claim 10, in which the top surface of the lens portion has a plurality of transverse grooves and ridges.

18. The luminaire of claim 17, in which the transverse grooves are uniformly spaced apart.

19. The luminaire of claim 18, in which the uniform spacing between the grooves is from about 1 mm to about 3 mm.

20. A compound optical structure, comprising:

a plurality of optical elements integrally joined together by at least one web element, each of the optical elements having a shaped body made of an optically transmissive polymeric material, the body having length, width and depth, wherein the length is greater than each of the width and the depth, and wherein the body has a substantially uniform transverse cross-sectional profile, the body including a longitudinally extending center portion and legs extending in the width direction away from opposite sides of the central portion and extending downwardly in the depth direction to facilitate mounting of the body on a substrate with a light emitting surface of an LED positioned in a recess defined between the substrate and the body, the center portion having a top surface and a bottom surface that together define a longitudinally extending lens portion capable of collecting light from an LED and refracting the light to produce a beam pattern.